Forbes’ list of world’s billionaires is unsurprisingly light on Canadians

Silence last year’s symphony of miniature violins—the billionaire bubble that shrank 30 per cent during the recession is expanding again. One hundred and sixty-four 10-figure tycoons have returned to Forbes’ annual list of the world’s billionaires, with an unlikely telecom giant from Mexico taking the top spot, thanks to his net worth of $53.5 billion. Surging prices at his various telecom holdings increased Carlos Slim Helu’s net worth by $18.5 billion over the past year, allowing him to nudge out the one-man empires of Bill Gates (#2) and Warren Buffet (#3). Only one Canadian made it into the company of Forbes’ top 50 richest people. David Thomson (#20), of Thomson Reuters, bumped long-time rival Michael Bloomberg (yes, that Michael Bloomberg) from the top 20.